Wallerawang Landscaping Cup: Oberon, Cargo remain undefeated

Unbeaten Oberon and Cargo are on a collision course for the final-round showdown in two weeks but Cargo will need a win against Orange Barbarians beforehand to go into the round-seven game on 14 competition points, along with Oberon who have the saloon passage with this week's bye.

On the last weekend of August Oberon will host the final regular season match between the premiership front runners before the semi-finals begin on September 5, and much interest surrounds this game even at this early stage.

In last Saturday's round of matches Cargo sneaked in with a 14-12 win over the now-desperate Orange Warriors who have not won a game since the second-round clash with Kandos.

At Oberon the Tigers won convincingly 28-8 over CSU in a game expected to be much closer.

Since CSU's impressive win in the night game against Orange Warriors they have now lost both games against equal leaders Oberon and Cargo.

Wade Park hosted an entertaining match-up between Orange Barbarians and Kandos Waratahs, the home team taking the honours 22-20 in a game where, holding the lead for most of the game, Orange forced Kandos to play catch-up football.

The Barbarians skipped out to an early six-nil lead after Sharp's try was converted by skipper Jake Kelly.

The Waratahs in possession moved the ball downfield and were unlucky after pressuring the Orange defence when a ball kicked high on the fifth tackle hit an upright and bounced back into the field with Kandos players across the line waiting for it.

Kandos were making inroads and equalised six-all with a try converted by Daniel Steel, but 10 minutes later the Barbarians took the lead again 12-6.

Going try for try, Daniel Skourmallas finished off a determined attack down the right side for Kandos for a 12-10 scoreline, then Ethan Parsons' try put the Waratahs in front 16-12.

In an even game the Barbarians, after the break, put together back-to-back tries to lead 22-16, but despite Parsons' second try five minutes later Kandos eventually ran out of time, going down by just two points.

After five rounds Oberon and Cargo straddle the top of the table on 10 points each, with CSU and Orange Barbarians sharing equal third position on six points.

The Warriors have been pushed into fifth spot and will need to work hard on their discipline to unlock their potential to gain semi-final reckoning.

Their final-round game against cross-town rivals Barbarians looks like being a play-off for fourth spot in the semis, a full-blown match-up in every sense, the importance of the game threatening to take some gloss off the table-topping Oberon and Cargo hit-out.

This week's games has Orange Warriors at home to Lithgow Bears, Cargo hosting a Barbarians side eager to ensure their semi-final credentials before their final competition game, and CSU to play Kandos Waratahs who will be at home.

In leaguetag Cargo crushed the Warriors 42-nil, CSU had a decisive 34-16 win over Oberon, and Barbarians defeated Kandos Tiara-tahs 18-4.

CSU and Cargo hold the top two spots on the leaguetag table, with Oberon in third and Barbarians in fourth position. Kandos are one point behind the Orange side with the possibility to leapfrog them into the semi-finals in their final game in two weeks.